After 40-Years The Who To Return To Cincy

The Who announced Tuesday night that it will stop in the Cincinnati area as part of its upcoming tour, performing there for the first time in 40 years since 11 people were killed in a pre-show stampede outside a concert in the city at the height of their fame.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band will play April 23 at Northern Kentucky University’s BB&T Arena, according to Fox News.

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On Dec. 3, 1979, 11 people were killed and another two dozen were injured when a crowd of thousands lined up for first-come, first-serve tickets began to stampede outside what was previously named the Riverfront Coliseum. The two sites are on opposite sides of the Ohio River just seven miles away from each other. The deaths paved the way for the crowd safety ordinance.

The band’s announcement came on the 40th anniversary of the tragedy after WCPO-TV in Cincinnati aired a documentary featuring interviews with lead singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend, the remaining original members of the British band that emerged in the 1960s featuring songs of youthful rebellion such as “My Generation” and its “Summertime Blues” cover.

Both have said they’ve been haunted by the tragedy. Townshend recently told The Associated Press he was looking forward to discussing it in Cincinnati.

“Now we can have a conversation about it when we go back,” Townshend said.

“We will meet people and we’ll be there. We’ll be there. That’s what’s important,” he continued. “I’m so glad that we’ve got this opportunity to go back.”

The band is adding the concert to its “Moving On!” tour 2020 dates.

The Who said it will donate a portion of proceeds from the Cincinnati area concert to a memorial scholarship fund benefiting students in the Cincinnati suburb of Finneytown. Three of the 11 killed, including two 15-year-old girls who were the youngest victims, had attended Finneytown High. Daltrey visited a Finneytown High School memorial site in 2018 and the band has for years supported the scholarship effort there.